Looking forward to your swap, Annie. I have been so busy and totally forgot about Beth's suggestion to send out a surprise card to someone in the group during September. How do we all get so busy these days? For me at least, it's lots of "house" issues to deal with, I must have hit the age on my house when things keep needing repairs. No fun. Also, lots more doctor's appointments for me this year. I just don't let things go and schedule what needs to be checked on. Since I've joined several local clubs and signed up for classes, I keep busy with those. I'll be doing a short talk for my garden group here next week. It's a very active garden club and lots of fun. lufurl1949, so nice to see that you posted. Stop back to visit us when you have time. Are you okay with posting your first name because I don't remember that name from GardenWeb but many of us had to change names when things changed to Houzz.

i read The Stolen Marriage ( Diane Chamberlain) for book club. I was going to pass because it just didn't seem like my type of book, and the past few I've read have been really duds. Anyway it was available on kindle from the library so I tried it. I was so pleased at what a good read it was. It really drew me in and each time I read, I'd start to take a break and then think, well, maybe one more chapter. It was a very good mystery, historical fiction, romance, etc. All the things. It was a very "easy read" in that it was effortless to stick with it. There's definitely a lot to discuss, and the historical parts of it were very interesting. ( for starters, the polio epidemic, as well as WW2 and race relations in the south). I would have given 5 stars, but to me the ending was a bit forced and the few improbable pieces began to bother me more. So, I'd give it 4 stars but high 4 stars. I still would recommend it and am glad I read it.

Fugitive Colors, Margaret Maron Daughter and I have been in London for the past week for the first time since pre-pandemic. We saw SIX at the theater, went to church at St. Paul's, did a day trip to the Lake District, visiting Beatrix Potter's Hill Top Farm, and having cream tea at a hotel near Lake Windemere, went to Daunt and Hatchard's bookstores, walked through Chelsea Physick Garden, had a tour of the Houses of Parliament, did a little Christmas shopping at Fortnum & Mason's, and visited several chocolate shops. Laderach of Switzerland has a shop there now. Yum!

@diggerdee zone 6 CT I kept meaning to refer to the Rudbeckia triloba. I would have said exactly what rouge21_gw (CDN Z5b/6a) did! rouge the funny thing is that Actaea is only on its 2nd year. I have others decades old that are not nearly as happy. Clearly that one is getting just the right amount of sun/shade & moisture. I should move my others that are not so happy! Miscanthus 'Strictus'. Monkshood in the corner that took a lot of damage in the April ice storm. Embarrassing area. Sedum Autumn Joy. These picks were taken a couple of days ago in Sept.